Stay A While
by ChubbyPony
Summary: Missing scene from HBP. Hermione makes a midnight visit to Ron in the hospital wing. Alternate ending from book. Oneshot.


**A/N:** Second R/Hr one-shot. Hope you like. Read, review, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. Not a single character. Not even Ron, which makes me incredibly depressed.

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"Ouch!" Hermione Granger hopped awkwardly on one foot down the hall towards the hospital wing. She stopped and leaned against a wall, rubbing her sore foot.

"Has that rug always been there?" she whispered to no one in particular. Her breath caught suddenly. Footsteps were rapidly approaching, accompanied by a cat's plaintive mew and the swinging lantern of Filch. Her eyes widened and she paced on the spot, searching frantically for a place to hide. The hall was practically bare and the footsteps were becoming louder.

Panicked, Hermione dove behind a tapestry hanging on the wall and held her breath, backed as far into the wall as she could be. She curled her toes in as though that would make her less visible. The light shone down the hall briefly, but the footsteps didn't come closer and soon they began to fade away. Hermione didn't dare utter even a breath until the footsteps had faded completely and the hallway fell back into darkness. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, she leapt from behind the tapestry and ran down the hall as though wings graced her feet.

"Going to get expelled. Going to get expelled." She muttered under her breath, skidding around a corner and coming face to face with the doors that led into the hospital wing. And suddenly, it didn't matter. She drew in a wheezy breath and placed a hand on the doorknob. Something stopped her.

She'd seen him today. It had been hell. She'd raced through the halls of Hogwarts, knocking over several students and Professor Flitwick in her hurried need to see him. She hadn't spoken to him in weeks. But when she heard Neville wheeze across the table to Luna about what'd he'd heard about Ron in the halls just then, her heart had ceased. A searing bolt of fear had coursed through her veins and propelled her all the way to the hospital wing doors. It wasn't until after Harry had assured her that Ron was alive that the burning in her veins began to subside.

She'd wanted desperately to hear him talk. Sitting there beside his bed, his pale form lying still, she wanted him to joke, to say something, _anything_ to convince her that he was still Ron. When he'd croaked that faithful word, her heart had pumped several times over, jumping and skipping inside her chest.

Which was why she was here now. Because she had to see him again and she knew that by tomorrow, Lavender Brown would have raced to the hospital herself and Hermione wouldn't get the chance to be alone with Ron for what would certainly be a long time. Gulping in a calming breath, she pushed her way into the silent and dark hospital room, lighting her path with the gently glow of her wand. Stepping quietly, she made her way to Ron's bed. She sat down in the one chair that was still positioned beside his bed. She wrung her hands in her lap and let her eyes wander of his still body. Suddenly, everything she'd been planning to say, the speech she'd had all prepared slipped from her mind. He groaned and rolled over, facing her now.

She stared down into his pale face, wishing he would open his eyes, so she could look into his deep blue pools of reassurance. But his eyes stayed shut and she knew she'd better get on with what she'd come here to do.

"Ron?" she whispered, testing to see if he'd wake. "Ron?" she called just a little louder. His snores still resounded throughout the empty room and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ok, good. Good. Ok, soooo…poisoned eh? Oh, that was really smooth Hermione." She took a breath.

"Why I am getting so flustered? He can't even hear me…at least I hope not." She took another shuddering breath. "Well, anyway…what I came here to say was…well, I suppose I wanted to apologize for the canaries. Perhaps, that was wrong of me. Well, I know it was wrong of me, because it's not as though I had any reason to be angry. Although, I suppose I did really. After all, you knew we were going to Slughorn's party together…or I assumed you did. I suppose that's the problem then isn't it? I thought you'd be smart enough to read all the hints I'd been sending. I suppose I thought asking you to the party would make you realize that I do quite fancy you, you thickheaded idiot!" Hermione took another breath and forced herself to calm down.

"Ok, so I suppose that maybe I wasn't exactly clear. And it's not like you can't go out with Lavender just because I fancy you. After all, maybe you don't fancy me at all. Although, don't think I've forgotten your obvious jealousy for Viktor. I remember that night at the ball very clearly, Ronald. What with _Vicky_ and me _fraternizing with the enemy._ You might as well of stood up at the front of the hall and announced your jealousy to the whole school. Yes, that hurt me, Ronald, it really did. Not to say that a part of me didn't find it rather adorable." She had to take another breath. Her face was tinted slightly red, because each time she began one of her rants, she didn't breath. It really was a downfall when yelling at Ron.

"Anyway, I'm getting off track again. I suppose that the whole reason I came here…and ranted on and on…was because I had to admit that I do fancy you Ron. Very much so. It's not easy keeping it a secret and watching you flit around with another girl Ron, let me tell you that. But I can't seem to just gather the courage to tell you everything I've just said while you're actually _awake._ So, I suppose, really, this whole argument is my fault, isn't it? If I could just say all this to you when you are actually conscious, then maybe things would be different…" she trailed off, imagining exactly how things might be if she had of told him how she felt. "Well, it doesn't matter does it? Because you don't fancy me, you're with Lavender." Unbidden tears sprung to her eyes. "Coming here was stupid. I've only gotten all myself all upset again. I'm just going to go now and forget this night ever happened. It's not like you'll be able to remind me about what a stupid idiot I am."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she fled the hospital wing quickly, running all the way back to her bed, ignoring even the Fat Lady's anger at her being out so late. Leaping into bed, she buried her face in her pillow to drown out the sound of her sobs.

The next morning, Hermione awoke early, filled with the sudden urge to see Ron just once more before he woke up and everything she had said last night would be completely erased. She dressed quietly and crept her way along the path to the hospital wing once more.

She didn't hesitate to push open the door this time. Somehow, she was more confident stepping towards Ron's bed. Until she pulled back the curtain and saw that Ron was not where he had been last night. Rather than lying completely still, snoring softly, his blue eyes were bright and wide open. He stared at her from his bed.

"Oh! You're…uh…hello. Didn't expect you to be awake at this hour."

"Didn't expect you to be down here at this hour." He retorted, grinning a little at her obvious discomfort. She blushed.

"Yes, well…I…I have a right to visit my friend don't I?" She sputtered, sitting down and trying to regain her previous composure.

"So, you're speaking to me again then, eh?" he asked coolly.

"Ok, I'm sorry about that. Emotional imbalance is all." She replied just as smoothly. She knew this question would come up and had rehearsed her response many times, until she had it perfect.

"Emotional imbalance? You're sure that's it? Nuttin' to do with Lavender at all?"

"What? Why should it?" Ron was smirking very confidently and it was beginning to unsettle her.

"No reason."

"Yes, well…I suppose I should get to breakfast."

"You've been here five minutes. And breakfast isn't for hours." Ron seemed to enjoy flustering her.

"You're enjoying this too much." Hermione accused, fidgeting in her seat.

"You enjoy ranting?" he asked innocently enough, though it made Hermione think of the night before with a jolt.

"Why are you asking that?" she asked, cocking her head and watching him very closely.

"Just trying to make conversation." Ron was grinning way too broadly, Hermione noticed. Apparently, he knew he had the upper hand and he was enjoying it.

"You could have started a conversation numerous other ways." She told him, trying to regain her footing.

"I s'pose. So, heard anything from _Vicky_ lately? Still _fraternizing with the enemy?_" She gaped at him, everything becoming much clearer quite suddenly.

"Oh…so you were awake then?"

"I was."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, I suppose I should go now." She picked herself up quite hastily and attempted to make an exit.

"Don't be stupid. You've got hours. Stay a while." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down, causing her to flop roughly on the bed. He let go of her wrist and smiled when she squirmed and sidled to the other end of the bed. She crossed her arms and glared.

"Perhaps, you should just get to the point, Ron?" she snarled rather coldly.

"_Perhaps_, you should just tell me if you really meant all that stuff that you couldn't say while I'm awake." He snarled back. She looked away from him.

"Would I really have rambled on and on for hours and risked getting expelled, all to tell you things that I didn't mean?" she said finally, though the fight had left her voice. She was very subdued now.

"So, why d'you risk getting expelled, to come here and tell me while I was asleep? Why not just tell me while I'm awake?"

"Perhaps the fear of a reaction somewhat like the one you're having right now!" she snapped, "But you know what Ronald? I'm done with it all. So, belittle my feelings all you want. I do not care _anymore!_" she leapt angrily from the bed and stalked towards the door. She'd only managed to put one foot in front of the other when she was pulled rather roughly back to the bed. She'd forgotten Ron played Quidditch. Damned quick reflexes.

"_What_ do you wan-" she began, though his mouth on hers made it rather difficult to continue. For a moment, the adrenaline in her veins and the amazing feeling of the kiss she'd imagined so many times blinded her to reality. Once he pulled back however, she became enraged. She slapped him. And hard.

"You pig! You cheating pig! You have a girlfriend, _remember?"_ Suddenly, she was disgusted with herself. How could she have done this? He had a girlfriend for pity's sake! She wanted to leap from the bed again, but quite unfortunately, his hand had not left her wrist yet.

"Let go of me this instant, Ronald Weasley!" she snapped warningly, raising her free hand again. He grabbed that one too and pinned them both down.

"Let go!" she shrieked again. He wouldn't and she turned her head as far away from his prying eyes as she could. There was some fumbling as he put one of his large hands over both of her smaller ones, giving himself a free hand in which to take her chin and turn her head so she was facing him again.

"Would ya listen for a minute?" he whispered rather pleadingly. "It'll be my belated birthday present. From you to me." She didn't say anything. So, he went on.

"You weren't the only one who came to visit last night. Lavender was here before you. That's why I was still awake when you showed up." Hermione's eyes widened slightly, but she still refused to say a word.

"I broke up with her." He said plainly.

"You what?" she gasped before she could help herself.

"Yeah. I did. Suppose it was one of those things you always hear 'bout. Being through a life-threatening experience making you see things different, ya know?"

"Not really."

"I suppose I realized that it was stupid to go out with Lavender, what the girl I really fancied standing in front of me for so long." He looked at her imploringly. She'd caught his drift, but that didn't mean she was going to let him get off scot-free.

"Yes, Romilda Vane, Harry said." She teased. He looked startled for a moment.

"What no!...Oh…ha ha." He laughed dryly. "That's real hilarious 'Mione."

"I thought so." She told him. "Can I have my hands back now, please?" she requested. He flushed red.

"Oh ya…so am I forgiven?" he asked.

"I suppose so."

"So…if you fancy me?"

"Yes."

"And I fancy you…"

"So you've said."

"So we both fancy each other…"

"You're going round in circles." She told him impatiently.

"Well, are we together or not?" he demanded.

"Honestly, Ron, haven't you figured that out for yourself by now?" His confused face said he hadn't. She kissed him, lightly and briefly.

"Does that answer your question?"

"It does." He reached for her again, wanting to pull her close, but she slid away.

"I really should get back."

"Don't be stupid." He told her with a grin, pulling her across the bed, so she was lying nearly on top of him, "You've got hours. Stay a while."


End file.
